Consealed Secrets
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: When Melody finds two abandoned baby seals, she decides to keep them until they're old enough to be released back into the wild. But what happens when Melody becomes attached? And why is oil appearing on the beach? R/R


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't recognize.

God loves you

Enjoy!

"Consealed Secrets"

Eleven-year-old Melody Noelle Coralsen grinned as she ran down the beach and felt the water hit her feet.

She was about to dive in, when she heard a small whimpering sound.

Craning her neck so she could see better, she tried to figure out where the sound was coming from.

As the sound got louder, she turned to the left and took off.

Stopping just short of a few rocks, the little girl gasped as her brown eyes landed on what had made the noise.

Two white baby seals were huddled together for warmth in the shade of a dune.

"Hi there." Melody greeted softly. "How did you guys get all the way out here? Did you lose your Mama?"

The closest seal to Melody let out a frightful whimper while gazing up at her with large scared eyes.

"It's okay." Melody assured him. "I won't hurt you. I have to get you two out of here. This is no place for two newborn seals. You'll be eaten for sure. You guys need to trust me. Do you think you can do that?"

The second seal nodded and nudged his sister to do the same.

"All right. Come on then." With that, Melody was about to pick them up, but realized she couldn't carry both of them at once.

Getting an idea, she told the two babies to stay put while she ran back in the house to get something.

Thanking God that her mother kept big cartons to send packages in, Melody grabbed one and ran back to the spot where she had found the seals.

They were still there right where she had left them.

"Good job you guys." She praised. "I think we're gonna get along great. Come on now." With that, she gently lifted the first seal into her arms and placed her in the box.

The other one followed without too much trouble.

"There." Melody said triumphantly. "Now to get you in the house without anyone seeing you. Hmm….This is gonna take some creative thinking…"

Sitting down next to the box, Melody thought for a few minutes.

Snapping her fingers a minute later, she started putting her plan into action.

Picking the box up in both hands, Melody made her way back to the house through a secret passage she used that led right to her bedroom.

She had found it when she was younger during a time she and her cousins were playing hide and seek.

Once she was safely inside, Melody closed and locked the passage before breathing a sigh of relief.

"Phew! That was close."

Letting out a giggle as she peered in the box, she stuck her finger in and stroked one of the seals on the head.

He responded by trying to suck on her finger.

This got Melody giggling all over again.

"You can't eat my finger, silly!" She said while still giggling. "I wonder, what do newborn seals eat anyway?"

It was then that she remembered something her mother had told her about most newborn baby animals.

"Do you guys want some milk?" She asked.

The seals perked up at this.

"All right. Shh. I'll be right back. You have to stay quiet." With that, she left the room and headed downstairs.

Getting into the kitchen, she found Carlotta cooking something on the stove.

"Hey Carlotta!" Melody greeted her auntly figure. "What's up?"

"I'm just making some stew for tonight. " Carlotta replied. "Can I get you anything, Melody?"

"Uh, no thanks. I can get it myself." With that, the little girl went for the fridge.

Filling a bowl with milk, she put the milk back before leaving the room.

Getting back upstairs, she set the bowl on her desk before going to get one more thing.

When they saw the milk, the seals started making excited noises.

"Shh!" Melody hissed. "I know you're hungry guys. Melody knows. I'm gonna feed you soon. Just give me one minute."

She returned a minute or so later with an eye dropper.

Filling it up with milk, Melody prepared to feed the first of the two seals.

"Wow!" Melody said as the first one seemed to down the milk in one gulp. "You were hungry, huh?"

After she fed the other one, she washed the eye dropper off and set it aside for later.

She knew enough about babies in general to know she would have to feed them in two hours.

"I wonder if Mom had to do the same thing for Spot." Melody mused aloud.

She had taken one of the seals out and was cuddling it close.

It felt warm and fuzzy against her soft skin.

"You guys sure are cute." She said. "Now, I just have to figure out what to name you."

Just then, Melody heard a wrap at her door.

"Melody? Are you in dere, child?"

Melody gasped. She couldn't let Sebastian find out about her new friends just yet.

But the more she thought about it, it might be a good thing. Maybe he would agree to help.

"Yes!" Melody called back as she continued to pet the seal in her lap. "Come in!"

The door opened a minute or so later revealing Sebastian.

The tiny red crab scurried into the pre-teen's room and closed the door.

"Melody, I've been looking everywhere for you!" He started.

"Well you found me." Melody retorted. "What's up?"

Sebastian sighed.

"What's up is you're fifteen minutes late for your…" His voice trailed off as he spotted the seal in Melody's arms. "Melody, child! What is dat ting doing in here?" He then caught sight of the other seal. "What are dey doing here?"

Melody giggled, not able to hold it back.

"They're called seals, Sebastian. And I found them all alone near some dunes. It was getting cold, so I decided to bring them inside. Besides, can you resist this face?"

"Yes." He said as he gazed down at the cute creature in his niece's embrace. "Aw mun! It's Spot all over again! Times two!"

"Sebastian, shush!" Melody said desperately. "Please don't tell my parents. Mom might understand, but Dad would freak out. We can't set them free just yet. They're just babies! They could die out there."

Sebastian sighed. He was starting to have flashbacks to a time Ariel had brought home a baby killer whale she had adopted.

"Please, promise me you won't tell Mom just yet. Please? I'll do anything. I'll come to practice on time, I'll…"

Sebastian sighed in resignation.

"Fine, fine. I'll keep dem a secret for now."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Melody cried. She put the first seal back in the box before picking Sebastian up and hugging him tightly.

"Okay, okay. You're choking me."

"Oops! Sorry.

Melody loosened her grip and set Sebastian down.

Now that the danger of Ariel finding out was over for a little bit, Melody returned to the previous task.

"What to name you guys…" She said more to herself than the seals and Sebastian.

She gazed at the first seal who was male before the name came to her.

"Snowball!" She announced. "Do you like it, buddy?"

The seal, Snowball, made a cute bark that made Melody believe she had found the perfect name for him.

She ended up naming the other one Ambrosia.

"Perfect!" She said after she had finished naming Ambrosia.

"Lovely." Sebastian said dryly. "Now, can we get back to practicing?"  
"Sure, Sebastian." Melody said with the enthusiasm of someone about to be sent to the principal's office.

It was true Melody loved singing, but singing for Sebastian was another story.

After Melody's music lesson, she fed Snowball and Ambrosia before her mother called her downstairs for her own dinner.

"I'm coming!" Melody called down.

"Okay, sweetheart!" Ariel called back. With that, she went back to the dining room to finish setting the table.

Before leaving the room, Melody gave her two new charges a talking to.

"All right you guys. I'll be back. Be good while I'm gone. And Snowball, no more biting your sister." With that, she kissed both of them on their heads and left the room.

She made sure she closed the door behind her so they couldn't get out.

The minute Melody was gone, the seals tried to get out of their confined space. They wanted to explore the room they were in.

Melody joined her family in the dining room a few minutes later.

She sat down across from her mother and next to Sebastian on her left.

She winked at him and he nodded.

"Melody, do you wanna say grace tonight?" Ariel asked.

"Okay!" Melody agreed. She took her mother's hand and one of Sebastian's claws and started the prayer.

Once she was done, Carlotta served the food.

Melody tried her hardest to concentrate on the conversation her mother had started with her as well as the food on her plate.

But despite her efforts, it was easier said than done.

Ariel had to grab her attention a few times and once, she almost handed her Dad the garlic salt instead of the regular salt.

"Melody?" Ariel asked in concern. "Is there something bothering you?"

"No." The little girl answered honestly. "I promise."

"You know you can talk to me about anything." Ariel reminded her.

"I know. " Melody assured her. "I promise, Mom, I'm fine."

"All right. " Ariel said. She didn't believe her though. She had a feeling something was going on.

But she knew Melody. Her daughter would come to her when she was ready to talk.

Once dinner was over, Melody went back upstairs like a shot. She needed to make sure Ambrosia and Snowball were okay.

Getting into her room, she was relieved to discover both seals were in one piece.

Her relief was short lived when she discovered the status of her bedroom.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed in surprise. "What did you guys do? This place is a mess!"

Snowball, who was just starting to come out of his hiding place underneath Melody's desk, shrank back at the volume of Melody's voice.

Sighing to herself, Melody tried to calm down. She wasn't angry, just a little surprised and more than a little nervous. She knew she had to clean up before her mother came to tuck her in for the night.

"I'm sorry you guys." She apologized. "Melody's not mad at you. I promise. But I need to get you back in your box and then pick up this mess before Mom finds out." With that, she managed to get both of the seals back in their box.

Once she had given them a few toys to play with, she went about the task of cleaning the mess they had made.

Plush animals were everywhere as well as a few of her dolphin and horse figurines.

After everything was picked up, Melody lay upon her bed and took some time to relax.

It was only when Ambrosia started to whimper, did Melody realize what time it was.

"Okay, sweetie, all right. I'm gonna feed you." With that, she got the eye dropper ready once again.

She had made a detour to the kitchen before she had come upstairs and had gotten some more milk from the fridge.

Once both seals had been fed, Melody started playing with them a little. They were really cute and a lot of fun to be around.

She loved Ambrosia the best though. She was the most affectionate of the two.

Whenever Melody passed the box to get something or to leave the room, Ambrosia was the first to stick her head out and lick Melody's arm or rub up against her for some attention.

Later that night, Melody was reading a book while her two charges slept when she heard a soft knock at her door.

"Melody, may I come in, sweetheart?" Came Ariel's voice.

"Uh, not yet!" Melody called back. "I'm uh getting changed for bed."

"Okay." Ariel said. She waited patiently for her daughter to be done.

Thinking quickly, Melody changed into her pj's before going about the task of hiding her two furry charges.

Spotting her closet, she dove for it with the box in her hands.

"Don't worry. " She whispered to the two little ones within. "It won't be for long." With that, she put the box on top of her music book that sat against the far side of the closet and shut the door.

Once that was done, she laid back on the bed before she remembered her mother.

"You can come in now. " She said. "I'm done."

Ariel giggled softly as she opened the door and stepped through the threshold.

Sitting on the side of her daughter's bed, she put a hand through Melody's chestnut brown hair before starting to speak.

"So did you have a good day today?" She asked.

"Uh-huh." Melody replied. "It was great!"

"I'm glad. Hey, I was thinking maybe we could go down town tomorrow and see what's going on."

Melody nodded.

As much as she loved spending time with her mother, she wished she would hurry up and tuck her in.

She knew it wouldn't' be long before Ambrosia and her brother voiced their feelings about being locked in a closet.

Faining a yawn, Melody prayed her mother would get the hint.

"All right. I see you're tired." Ariel said as she kissed her cheek. "I love you, Mel. Sweet dreams, honey. I'll see you in the morning." With that, she gave her a hug before getting up and leaving the room.

"I love you, Mom!" Melody called as she watched her leave.

Once she was sure her mother was gone, Melody leapt out of bed and went to rescue her new friends.


End file.
